sleep · 3 min
Body scan for insomnia: 3 minutes, before work
3 minutes to meet insomnia with less of a fight. A body scan practice, before work.
Press start. This is a quiet space — no music, no ads, just a voice and some room to breathe.
A quiet voice reads the session aloud in your browser — nothing is recorded. You can switch the voice off and follow the text instead.
About this practice
3 minutes to meet insomnia with less of a fight. A body scan practice, before work. A guided session of about 3 minutes, suited to all levels. Nothing is recorded and no account is needed.
What this works on: insomnia
Insomnia is often maintained by the fear of not sleeping. Anticipating a bad night raises arousal at bedtime, which produces the bad night.
It tends to show up as:
- Dreading bedtime
- Hours awake with a busy mind
- Sleeping worse as the week goes on
Removing the pressure to sleep is the active ingredient. This gives you something to do that is not trying.
Doing this before a busy day
- Do it before the first message or notification
- Aim for steadiness rather than energy
- Decide the first task afterwards, not during
The point is to begin without already being behind, not to prepare for every possibility.
How body scan works
A body scan moves attention systematically through the body, region by region. It does not try to change what it finds — it builds a map of what is actually there, which is often different from what you assumed.
- Move slowly, head to feet or feet to head, and do not skip the uncomfortable areas
- Meet each region with plain curiosity rather than a verdict
- Numbness and absence of sensation are findings too
What happens, minute by minute
- 0:00Let your tongue rest down, away from the roof of your mouth.
- 0:13Your only job is to notice what is there, region by region, without fixing anything.
- 0:27Let your sense of the room shrink down to just your body and the surface you're on.
- 0:42Breathe as if you had all evening. There's no rush in this part.
- 0:55Let your ribs widen on the in-breath instead of your shoulders lifting.
- 1:08Notice your elbows. Odd things to have, but there they are.
- 1:20If you catch yourself fighting the counting of hours until morning, that is worth noticing. The fight usually costs more than the feeling.
- 1:38Notice where the frustration of not sleeping lives in your body. Chest, throat, stomach. Rest your attention there without trying to change it.
- 1:56Notice where you feel the breath most clearly. Nose, chest, or belly — pick one and stay there.
- 2:12This is not the last time the wide-awake mind at 2am will visit. That is not bad news. It means you will get more practice.
- 2:31Notice anything you're holding onto from earlier today.
- 2:42Move at the speed of your attention, not the speed of a checklist. There is no schedule to keep.
- 2:58Let the pace of the last few minutes set the pace of the next few.
Questions people ask
What does this session help with?
Insomnia is often maintained by the fear of not sleeping. Anticipating a bad night raises arousal at bedtime, which produces the bad night. Removing the pressure to sleep is the active ingredient. This gives you something to do that is not trying.
Where and when should I do this one?
Do it before the first message or notification. The point is to begin without already being behind, not to prepare for every possibility.
What actually happens during the 3 minutes?
A body scan moves attention systematically through the body, region by region. It does not try to change what it finds — it builds a map of what is actually there, which is often different from what you assumed.
Meditation is a practice, not a treatment. If you are dealing with ongoing distress, please also reach out to a professional.
If this one is not quite right, try Breathing meditation for being present (10 min), after work, Self-compassion for concentration: 5 minutes, after work or Gratitude meditation for study focus (20 min), in the queue.